God's Choice Is Our Salvation

What Paul wasn’t Saying

God only chose a plan

Ephesians 1:4 “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love”

Ephesians 1:10 “as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

The historic and accurate teaching of the Lord’s churches is that the Election of God encompasses both the ends (we are chosen for salvation) and the means (the plan of The Word becoming flesh, living, dying, and resurrecting for our salvation, and that gospel being preached and witnessed to by the church for the saving of lost sinners.)

Article 9 of the NHBCoF of 1833

We believe that Election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which he graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners; that being perfectly consistent with the free agency of man, it comprehends all the means in connection with the end…

So, God DID choose a plan, but also as Paul clearly states, chose US in Christ, individually, from eternity past to be saved; that we should be holy and blameless.

God chooses in time

Ephesians 1:4 “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love”

Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

Luke 10:20 “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.””

Revelation 13:8 “and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.”

In short, there is NO text of scripture that teaches God’s election unto salvation happening in time; only in Eternity past. It is the application; our conversion and sanctification that happens in time.

We are Puppets

“If you take Paul to mean that we are chosen before the foundation of the world, then we must be mere puppets; our choices are not our own.”

1786 - Northampton - William Carey “The Father of Modern Missions”

asked: 'Whether the command given to the apostles to "teach all nations," was not obligatory on all succeeding ministers to the end of the world, seeing that the accompanying promise was of equal extent?'

John Ryland Sr. - "Young man, sit down; when God is pleased to convert the heathen world, He will do it without your help or mine."

John Ryland Sr. was as wrong in 1786 as any who would today take such a stance. The Bible knows no such impulse. Thanks be to God that both William Carey and John Ryland Jr. could not and did not allow the leading and calling Spirit of God to be drowned out and went forth to found the Baptist Missionary Society (also known as the “Particular Baptist Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Amongst the Heathen” in 1792 and continued in missionary works thereafter.

Ephesians 1:13 “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,”

Mark 1:14-15 “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Not only does the Biblical and Apostolic proclamation of the Gospel contradict the idea of being mere puppets; of denying the reality of choice and experience, but to say such also denigrates the incarnation of Jesus. He put on flesh, that is became fully human, and as such willingly obeyed, and was in every way our real substitute. The work of The Spirit to awaken, draw, and regenerate lost souls is wholly consistent with the reality of our creaturely will and experience. Those who are saved desire to be so, to the praise of His glorious grace. The Lord has and will never turn away anyone coming in faith, with repentance. Those who reject a gospel invitation do so of their own and true volition. The blood of Jesus guarantees (John 3:16) that ALL who believe (πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων) will be saved; for all who continue in unbelief it is only a condemning witness against their love of sin and self.

The Right Approach

What does the TEXT say?

Authority:

Matthew 7:28-29 “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.”

I am not Jesus, so the authority can only arise FROM the Word, thus my constant emphasis on THE TEXT.

Genre:

Psalm 75:3 “When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah”

We understand that this is figurative language. We are not meant to ignore science and satellite imagery to believe there are literal pillars holding up the Earth.

While Paul uses some imagery in Ephesians, such as the body of Christ, it is evident FROM the text that is so. In the 1st chapter, he is not speaking figuratively.

It is a slippery slope when we use verses as mere proof texts for what we want to say. That is NOT Biblical preaching. We must endeavor to look at the Word afresh every time, recognizing and if at all possible laying down our preconceptions and traditions to learn FROM God rather than quote Him in a way to prop up our ideas, which is forbidden in the 3rd Commandment to not take the Name of The Lord in vain.

What does the test say is THE question to ask. Every time!

It’s All About Jesus

Refer to last week’s message of the same title.

That being Paul’s emphasis, so too it should be ours when we read and teach / preach this text

It is about Worship, Joy, and Comfort

While the terms or topics of election and predestination are often viewed as controversial or troubling, that is NOT the tone in this opening chapter.

v1: Blessed be!

v8: God LAVISHES us in grace!

v14: …to the praise of his glory

v16: Paul is giving thanks for the saints’ faith

What Paul WAS Saying

Past (Before the Foundation of the World)

v3-10 all Past tense

In Eternity Past (before the foundation of the Earth) God, according to His (v9 - εὐδοκίαν) kind Intention / good will / purpose freely chose (meaning not because of our worth or deserving, but because of His love (John 3:16) to save us personally and individually by sending Jesus, by sending the Gospel out through the church, by sending The Spirit to anoint that proclamation, to awaken, draw, and regenerate lost sinners, predestining all who are born again to be (Romans 8 conformed to the image of Jesus) v11-14 to the praise of His Glory.

Present (In Time Gospel and Conversion)

v13-14: We hear the gospel, are drawn and enabled by The Spirit to repent and believe unto salvation, and are sealed by the same Spirit, pictured here as the downpayment, the taste of what is to come

v15-23 We grow in faith and wisdom, learning more and more about the riches of God’s grace, are grafted in as a member of the Body of Christ, and are literally given Christ as Head, in The Word through teaching, preaching, and study, and in the Ordinances, empowered to be faithful witnesses and thus evangelists to others.

Future (The Age to Come)

The inheritance of Christ becomes ours; all that is promised and secured by The Spirit when we are united to Christ in faith becomes our own in full.

The inevitable and already won victory (all enemies put under Jesus’ feet) will be revealed and realized in full for all eternity.

…AND ALL THIS TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY!

Church Family, let us not shrink back from or deny any of the rich blessings found in God’s Word. God’s choice is our salvation. If you are today resting in the finished work of Christ Jesus on Calvary and His subsequent third day resurrection, know for certain that your salvation has been the purpose of God since before creation itself. In Christ, you are perfectly secure for time and eternity. If you are today realizing your need to be saved, then consider and trust in the only and all-sufficient savior Jesus, then we can together take comfort, find reason for deep and abiding joy, and praise the grace and glory of God in Christ Jesus forever.